Tom Aspinall's teammate claims Alex Pereira previously declined bout

Phil De Fries, a training partner of Tom Aspinall, stated that Alex Pereira previously turned down an opportunity to fight Tom. De Fries believes Aspinall is stylistically better than Ciryl Gane and would present unique challenges compared to other heavyweights. The post includes a poll asking which opponent would be stylistically more difficult for Pereira. This revelation adds context to discussions about potential superfight matchups for both champions. The claim suggests Pereira may be selective about moving up to heavyweight despite fan interest in such bouts.